Outmaneuvering Distraction [Bonnie Rough]

All Levels | Every writer must deal with distraction. Even Michel de Montaigne, who could retreat to his private turret to write, complained that the affairs of his estate chipped away at his concentration. Our lives are intensely busy and demanding. Carving out the time and walling off the space to engage with the no guarantees writing process risks feeling like a waste of time. Still, the imagination begs for attention. In this class, we will acknowledge our distractions, learn to accept (at least some of ) them, identify which are within our control, understand how and why the creative process gets interrupted, learn shortcuts to flow state, and design individual new creative practices for ongoing productivity after the course’s end.